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15
The deputation was received by Mr. Secretary Matthews on
Monday, the 22nd February, at the office of the Secretary of
State, Whitehall who after listening to numerous addresses
by members of the deputation, stated that he expected to
receive a deputation from the cab proprietors and drivers
shortly, and would ,, v. the matter his careful consideration!
Up to the present time no decision has, it is believed been
arrived at. '
In January, a circular-letter was received from the Vestry
of St. Pancras, stating that the Vestry were anxious that some
pressure should be put on Parliament in the next session to
revise the Electoral Divisions for School Board purposes in
London, and inviting the Board to appoint three persons to
attend a Conference of Local Authorities, to be held at St.
Pancras Vestry Hall, on Wednesday, the 27th January, on the
subject. The Board passed a resolution approving of the
object of the proposed Conference, and appointed Messrs.
Coles. Meikle and Faulkner to attend as their representatives.
The Conference was lu-1.1 on the day named, and the following
resolutions were adopted:—
1. "That, in the opinion of this Conference, the Electoral Divisions
for the School Board for London should be the Parliamentary
Divisions; that cumulative voting should be abolished, and that
there should be one Member of the Board for each of such
Divisions.
2. "That existing vacancies in the School Board should be filled up
by the Ratepayer in the ordinary way, and not as at present
by the Members of the Board.
3. "That the Education Department be asked to receive a Deputation
from the Conference, with a view of urging upon Her Majesty's
Government the necessity for dealing with this question forthwith.
4. "That the Delegates now present, and any other Delegates
appointed by any Vestry or District Board approving of the
views of this Conference, be invited to attend the Deputation to
the Education Department, if such Department consents to
receive the same; and further, that all Members of Parliament
representing Metropolitan Constituencies be invited to join such
Deputation."
School Board
Divisions.
Subsequently, an application was made by the Vestry Clerk
of St. Pancras to Sir William Hart Dyke, the Vice-President
of the Committee of Council on Education, to receive a deputation
from the Conference on the subject, as provisionally
arranged, but Sir William, in view of the improbability of any
legislation in connection therewith during the then Session of
Parliament, declined, and no further action has been taken up
to the present time.
Upon the lamented decease of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence
and Avondale, in January, the Board, on the motion of Mr.
Keith, who occupied the Chair, passed a resolution of condolence
Duke of
Clarence.